1. Field of the Invention
The inventions relate to a paper-like materials processing apparatus which processes paper-like materials taken out on a conveying path by detecting their features and, more particularly, to a banknote receiving machine which takes out banknotes one by one on a conveying path, conveys, detects features such as kinds and directions of banknotes, uniformly arranges the front/back and the top/bottom and accumulates them by kind.
2. Description of the Related Art
A banknote receiving apparatus is so far known as a paper-like materials processing apparatus. For example, plural kinds of banknotes are collectively inserted into this banknote receiving apparatus in mix and these inserted banknotes are taken out on a conveying path one by one, its feature is detected and the front/back and the top/bottom are arranged uniformly and accumulated by kind.
However, a banknote size differs according to kind and the feature position also differs depending on kind. Therefore, depending on the position of a detecting portion arranged for detecting banknote features, the detecting portion may not be in alignment with the feature portion and there may be banknotes of which features cannot be detected precisely. So, in a conventional apparatus, many detectors are provided in the cross direction of a conveying path so that features of banknotes are detected precisely even when the feature portion passes any position. Accordingly, there were such problems that it was necessary to provide many detectors, the structure of apparatus was complicated and the manufacturing cost was increased.
Furthermore, in a conventional apparatus, there were such problems that when the banknote conveying posture was tilted to the conveying path (skew) and/or one-sided (shift) to the cross direction of the conveying path, banknotes were conveyed on the conveying path in such improper posture and the feature detecting accuracy of banknotes by the detector was further reduced.
The inventions provide a paper-like materials processing apparatus that is capable of simplifying the structure of a detector for detecting features of paper-like materials and capable of detecting features of paper-like materials precisely.
According to embodiments of the inventions there is provided a paper-like materials processing apparatus comprising: an insert port into which paper-like materials are inserted; a conveying portion to convey the paper-like materials that are taken out on a conveying path from the insert port; a first detecting portion to detect kinds and directions relative to the front/back and top/bottom of the paper-like materials that are conveyed by the conveying portion; a posture correcting portion to correct the conveying posture of the paper-like materials passed through the first detecting portion; a second detecting portion that is opposed to feature portions of the paper-like materials passed through the posture correcting portion to detect features of the paper-like materials from the feature portions; a storage portion to store position correction amounts by the posture correcting portion that are preset according to kinds and directions of paper-like materials so as to align the feature portions of paper-like materials passed through the posture correction portion with the second detecting portion; and a controller to read out correction amounts corresponding to kinds and directions of paper-like materials detected through the first detecting portion and control the posture correcting portion so as to correct the conveying posture of the paper-like materials based on the read out correction amounts.